14 entries from February 2010

February 27, 2010

'Fresh Expression Case Studies: When we are pioneering something missional the temptation is just to put your head down and get on with the job of pioneering as it can be very demanding work. However, it is often helpful to lift your head and listen and learn from others who are attempting a similar work. It is also helpful not just to hear principles but how stuff is working out in practise.

These Fresh Expression Case Studies are a series of interviews that have been conducted around the country in a variety of contexts and they give an opportunity to listen and learn from one another. The intention is to dig a little deeper into some of the pressures and joys of such ministry and draw from the interviews what is applicable for other contexts.

The interviews have been conducted across a broad spectrum of people working in new communities and their Fresh Expressions are at differing levels of development to provide contrast.

These innovative projects are inspirational and the following interviews aim to provide intimate insights into pioneering ministry.

Neville Willerton, National Projects Officer for Fresh Expressions - Church Army

Miles Baker sends this from Peterborough - please pass it on to anyone you know who might fit the bill.

DIOCESE OF
PETERBOROUGH

PIONEER
MINISTER IN KETTERING

A pioneer minister (lay or ordained) is sought for
work on the Grange Estate, an area of urban need in the large and growing town
of Kettering, Northamptonshire. A
fresh expression of church life – Eagles’ Wings – was formed four years ago,
and we need someone to build on the successful ground-breaking work which has
been achieved.

We seek a community-minded pastor and evangelist,
whose eyes are open to the world, whose heart is open to those beyond the reach
of the conventional church, whose spirituality is Bible-centred and Spirit-led,
and whose hands are given to the service of those in need.

There are significant ecumenical opportunities, and
an appetite for outreach in word and action as a mature congregational life
develops. In addition, there will
be opportunities for working with the deanery in turning its recently agreed
mission plan into a strategy for action.

This
is an excellent opportunity for someone with prior experience of work in
community development and/or church planting and fresh expressions.

Informal enquiries will be welcome, and should be
made to Rural Dean – The Revd Brian Withington – telephone 01536 791373 –
e-mail brian.anco@virgin.net.

We're now arranging a series of events for diocesan missioners and fresh expressions enablers and pioneers to discuss with Rachel the implications of her report for individual dioceses or sub-regional groups of dioceses and local areas. If you're interested in hosting one of these please get in touch with Laura: nmea.support@c-of-e.org.uk

On Tuesday 9th General Synod debated the follow-up to Mission-Shaped Church and the Mission & Public Affairs motion commending the mixed economy church as "the most promising mission strategy in a fast-changing culture" was carried without a vote against. Thanks for your prayers and support for the process which led to this ringing endorsement.

From the Fresh Expressions team Karen summarised the debate as follows:

The Church of England voted to continue to encourage fresh expressions of church, alongside more traditional forms of church as the most promising mission strategy in a fast changing culture.

In a lively debate at the February session of the Church’s parliament, synod also pressed for a more imaginative policy of recruitment, training and deployment of ordained and lay pioneer ministers. The motion before synod also encouraged the increasing use of Bishops’ Mission Orders so that fresh expressions of church can play a full part in the life of each diocese.

Speaking for the first time as a bishop in General Synod, Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield and former Team Leader of Fresh Expressions, said there were no ‘no go’ areas for mission and paid tribute to the pioneers working hard to establish new forms of church at a local level.

Wolverhampton pioneer minister, Richard Moy asked why the Church of England ‘locked its trainee clergy away for three years in a place full of other Christians.’ He said that if clergy were to be effective evangelists they needed to spend more time with non-Christians during their training. He called for the Church of England to invest more in ‘on-the-job’ training for would-be priests.The Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard, also called for more coherence and co-ordination in pioneer training. Elaine Storkey, the Director of Training for Church Army reminded synod that lay pioneers are not second class and the Archbishop of Canterbury said there was no ‘one important bit’ in the mixed economy church, emphasising the need for traditional churches and fresh expressions of church to work side by side. There were also warm commendations of the Fresh Expressions initiative from both Baptist and Methodist representatives at synod.

On Thursday 11th Graham Cray gave a presentation to Synod on the priorities and future direction of Fresh Expressions, and answered questions. The full text of Graham's presentation is here for you to distribute:

Speaking to the Church of England's General Synod on Thursday 11th February 2010, Bishop Graham Cray gave an update
on the work of Fresh Expressions, saying much been achieved since the
initiative's launch in 2005 but there is still a great deal to do.

We face the long haul, not the latest fad,

he warned.Graham outlined three factors as crucial to Fresh Expressions'
progress to date: a new imagination about the form or shape of church,
the provision of relevant training resources, and an era of permission
and encouragement by church leaders.

These three combine in a dynamic ecology. Parishes can
imagine appropriate fresh expressions of church, they are not just
permitted but encouraged to take the risk of starting one, and training
is available to show them how.

Plus this commendation from Leicester's Barry Hill. Please see what you can do to get your diocese on the LYCiG trail too! It's simply the best of its kind.

“Leading
Your Church into
GrowthA number of clergy and laity from
Leicester diocese have recently come back from
the latest Leading Your Church into Growth course, raving about how
helpful it
has been for their ministry. Their reactions mirror many, from across
the
diocese from the complete spectrum of church styles and theologies who
have said
the same. With three courses during 2010, I thought it opportune to
give
it a little plug, especially for those who haven’t been on it
themselves.
There’s plenty more info at http://www.leadingyourchurchintogrowth.org.uk/
I should say I don’t work for LYCiG , just someone who has been impacted
by
their ministry and am keen to evangelise others to their work!!

February 07, 2010

Please pray for Philip Giddings, chair of the Mission and Public Affairs Council, as he proposes the motion below to General Synod on Tuesday afternoon, and for all those who will contribute to the debate.

Also for Graham Cray and his team as they share the latest on Fresh Expressions with Synod on Thursday.

That this Synod:

affirm the
mixed economy of traditional churches and fresh expressions of church, working in
partnership, as the most promising mission strategy in a fast changing culture;

encourage those
responsible for vocations and training in dioceses and parishes to promote the
imaginative recruitment, training and deployment of ordained and lay pioneer
ministers in and beyond title posts;

commend the
making of Bishops’ Mission Orders to integrate suitable fresh expressions of
church in the life of the dioceses; and

request the Mission and Public
Affairs Division and the Research and Statistics Unit to gather evidence on the
spiritual and numerical growth of the mixed economy church in general and fresh
expressions of church in particular, and to bring a further report or reports
to Synod in the next quinquennium.

George Fisher sends this from one of the flagship Going for Growth dioceses; please pass the word round. Note the deadline for applications is Feb 19.

West Bromwich Deanery

seeks a new leader

for

West Bromwich Network Church

Are you passionate about sharing Jesus and making disciples?

Can you communicate bible-based teaching in
contemporary language to nurture a fledgling church and networks of young adults?

West Bromwich Network Church is an evangelical Fresh Expression of church
reaching out to a totally un-churched generation. With a full time worship
leader and a committed group of about 20 brand new Christians, we're seeking a
new pioneer leader who will grow this fledgling but dynamic ministry into the
next stage. This is a 5 year appointment.

Applicants must be Anglican; either lay or ordained, and have a relevant
theological education.

Vincie Abbott sends this update on the last, and the next, FPE conference. The website is www.FPE-network.org

“FPE’s 2010
Conference “Proclamation: Talking the Walk” was held from 25th
to
27th January when over 80 members and guests were blessed by
ministry
from Eric Delve, Sally Gaze and Diane Woolridge. The website www.FPE-network.org
contains some of the
comments made by those who were present. The date of the 2011
Conference
is: 24th – 26th January. Details will be on the
website as soon as possible once speakers are confirmed. Guests always
welcome – if you wish to talk with someone there is a contact us form on
the
website.”

The latest Share guest
blog, written by Ben Edson, is about managing provisionality in a fresh
expression of church. How does a community handle the tension of
catering to its
new people whilst nurturing patterns of spirituality that sustain those
who are
more established? Ben Edson is the Diocese of Manchester's Fresh
Expressions
Missioner. The Share blog can be read and commented on here:www.sharetheguide.org/blog